Clifford stood on his feet, slowly bending down to pick up his broken glasses. He then tossed them into the trash can before walking over to the restroom mirror on the wall.
He cupped water in his open palms and washed away the footprints on his face and clothes. Afterward, he reached into his pocket and retrieved another pair of glasses, which he put on. He then stepped out of the bathroom.
Returning to the shelves, he selected the books he had previously chosen. With a calm demeanor, he made his way to the librarian's desk to complete the borrowing procedures before walking out of the library.
As he headed toward the parking lot, he suddenly heard Kira's voice.
"Peterson, I don't like you, and I never will. Stop pretending you're hurt—like I broke your heart. I never made any promises that you'd be my man. You disgust me," she said bluntly. Clifford's lips twitched at her words.
"Damn it, Kira!" he heard a boy's voice, which he assumed belonged to Peterson. Peterson's voice grew angrier. "Kira, you hate guys, but you still went ahead and dated that loser Clifford—the nerd clown who can't even talk to you in your face. Why did you choose him? He's got no merits. Why can't I be the one?"
Clifford's lips twitched even more at this. Kira was really making him out to be the enemy of the entire school and public.
Kira responded, "He's very sweet, kind, always smiling, a little clumsy, and honestly, he's cuter than you. He has beautiful eyes, and what really drives me crazy is his abs and perfect body. Thinking about him makes my head spin! Peterson, he's a million times better than you."
Peterson's anger exploded. "Bullshit! Lies! F—ing lies! That bookworm doesn't even have time for the gym—how can he have a better body than me? I don't believe it."
Clifford was left speechless. He hadn't expected Kira to speak so kindly about him, perhaps to stir more hatred towards him. Curious, he took a few steps forward, moving toward a nearby pillar. He hid behind it, peering out to see Peterson and Kira arguing beside a parked car.
"Look, Kira, I love you. Clifford isn't man enough for you. He wouldn't be able to treat you to dinner, buy you flowers, write love poems—make you feel like a woman. Besides reading books and getting good grades, there's nothing else special about him," Peterson said bitterly.
Relieved, Clifford exhaled quietly. But then, to his surprise, Kira looked in his direction. Instantly, he ducked behind the pillar, trying to stay hidden.
He saw her walking toward him. As she approached, Peterson called out from behind her, "Where are you going? We're not done talking, Kira."
Kira completely ignored him and gently pulled Clifford out from behind the pillar, holding his arms while smiling sweetly.
"Peterson, meet my boyfriend Clifford. Clifford, this is the basketball star Peterson," she introduced them with a cheerful smile.
Clifford looked nervous, his hands sweaty and trembling, while Peterson's face darkened with anger. His fists clenched tightly, and his expression was furious.
But Kira paid no mind to the tension. She continued softly, "This is the love of my life, my man," and pulled Clifford's arm in a romantic gesture.
Clifford awkwardly adjusted his glasses, visibly nervous, as he tried to keep his composure.
Kira's smile widened as she noticed Peterson's murderous glare directed at Clifford. She then said sweetly, "See you guys tomorrow," and turned to leave, walking away without a backward glance, leaving Peterson and Clifford standing there.
"Brat, are you the one responsible for making my woman fall for you?" Peterson asked in a deep, threatening voice.
Clifford's nerves got the better of him; he stuttered, "Yo… your wo…man…"
Without warning, Peterson reached out and roughly grabbed Clifford's collar, pulling him closer. His face was inches from Clifford's as he warned, "I don't want to see your dirty ass or your stinking presence around my girl ever again. If you even think about getting close to her, I'll beat you so bad you'll regret it."
With a forceful shove, Peterson pushed Clifford back. Clifford stumbled, nearly falling. Peterson then turned sharply and strode off.
Kira, who had caused the confrontation earlier, was inside the school bus, munching on a fruit with a relaxed smile. Sophia shot her a suspicious look. "Cut the crap, Kira. Everyone can see through your lies. I'm not buying that bullshit. What's really going on? Why did you suddenly claim Clifford is your boyfriend? Are you trying to make that innocent guy your fall guy?"
Kira responded lazily, "Don't put it like that. Clifford's good at taking a beating. He's the perfect choice."
Hearing Kira's reason for claiming Clifford, Sophia mourned silently on his behalf.
When the bus reached her stop, Kira waved goodbye to Sophia before stepping off. She headed toward her home, but as she drew closer, she spotted her mom, Mrs. Samuels, waiting at the door—as she always did when Kira returned from school, ever since she was a child.
Kira smiled and quickened her pace, but then suddenly stopped. A frown creased her face as she sniffed the air, standing still for a moment. Her eyes turned cold. Without hesitation, she took a large stride forward and approached her mother with a forced smile.
"Mom, your baby's back," Kira said sweetly.
Mrs. Samuels pulled her into a warm embrace. Kira wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and buried her face in her chest. "I missed you so much, Mommy," she whispered softly.
Mrs. Samuels ran her fingers through Kira's hair and replied gently, "I missed you even more, my love."
The two of them walked inside the house. In the sitting room, Mr. Samuels was watching television. When he saw them, he smiled and said, "You're back, Kira."
"Yes, Daddy," Kira responded softly.
"Go wash up and come downstairs for dinner," Mrs. Samuels instructed. Kira nodded and headed to her bedroom.
After he left, Mr. and Mrs. Samuels exchanged a glance. Once Kira returned, they all walked quietly to the dining table and ate. Suddenly, Mrs. Samuels broke the silence: "Kira, your boyfriend was here a little while ago."
The moment she heard this, the atmosphere grew tense. Kira clenched her spoon tightly, her expression cold.